What do YOU think of our new Whales?

Cape Cod Whale Trail launched to applause, now has a few detractorsAre they works of art or over-painted blobs?

Editorial by the Blogfather

hen we ran perhaps the first story on the new Cape Cod Whale Trail in March, we thought the idea had "legs" although the whales obviously are ped-less.

The first several whales this writer saw were fine, but the later ones appear to have exhausted our local artisan's imagination because when seen at a distance they are fairly unattractive to some viewers.

One recent email we received was entitled, "crude Cetaceans clutter Cape Cod".

I have since seen the whales at the Brewster Bookstore, the Dennis Memorial Library, the Eastham Village Green and the Edward Gorey House Museum. In my opinion, the first two are kewl while the last two are at best, marginal. See them at the bottom of this piece.

Imagine how much greater leeway the artists might have had if this charity had chosen lobsters as their medium.

Of course, the firm which runs this promotion is committed to whales since they've already do them in New London and other venues.

Which raises our second caveat - why does Cape Cod have to imitate New London or any other? Aren't we creative enough to come up with our own formula?

Cod, Stripers, Quahogs, Sharks, Lobsters, Crab, Squid, Flounders

Imagine if our artists could have created statues using ANY sea creature found in our waters. I could see a veritable sculpture garden of marine creatures including several whales species rather than just the one used.

Of all the whales I've seen so far, I believe the Lobster and Red Sox whales above are the most arresting.

A few whales, including a couple on Main Street Hyannis, are almost embarrassing. They resemble huge blobs someone threw paint at. The "drop cap" at the start of this article is the whale at 337 Main Street.

The problem is the appendages

Or really, the fact that whales don't have any. The reason this idea works well in other places, like Belfast Maine, is that the creatures they use to amuse tourists and raise money for scholarship etc., are animals with limbs.

The now-famous Belfast Bears are seen halfway up a telephone pole on Main Street in a Lineman's outfit, or on a diving board three flights above a store across the street. (The Rockland-Thomaston Maine Chamber ran a Lobster statue campaign recently, and their feelings about it are expressed below in the 8th comment .)

What do YOU think?

More important than my peculiar artistic opinion, what is YOUR feeling about these new, rather prominent, additions to our landscape.

Is it kewl or kitsch?

Please share your opinion with the rest of us below. The Brewster, Dennis, Eastham and Gorey whales, respectively.

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